


Magic 2.2: Repaying a Favor

by GlassesAndGiggles



Category: Magic 2.0 Series - Scott Meyer
Genre: Fix-It, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 15:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19298941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassesAndGiggles/pseuds/GlassesAndGiggles
Summary: Jimmy rescues Todd, as promised.





	Magic 2.2: Repaying a Favor

Magic 2.2 - Jimmy Rescues Todd 

 

"Excuse me, gentlemen, I need to refresh myself." Jimmy announced, closing his paperback book and casting a glance over at the table of wizards deeply embroiled in a game of Settlers of Catan.  
Jimmy hadn't been invited to play. This was partially because when he had been part of game night, he had almost always cheated in some small way or another. It was mostly because, less than a year ago from the other wizards perspectives but over thirty from Jimmy's, Jimmy had broken all of their sacred laws and attempted to murder all of them.  
He had schemed his way back into their company, existing a quasi-prisoner, on-probation semi-wizard. He had not found a way back into their good graces. Being on probation, it was always someone's job to keep an eye on Jimmy, and tonight it was Gary's, and everyone was over at Gary's house playing games.  
"Uh-huh. Don't fall in." Gary waved impatiently without looking up, dismissing Jimmy from his assigned spot on the sofa. Jimmy graciously put down his book, strode out of the room, to the water closet, and closed the door.  
He exhaled, chanted a spell, and found himself in his own bathroom. Much less black and blood red, much more gilded surfaces, recently cleaned by the maid Jimmy employed in 2012.  
Jimmy was not on probation, not really. He was a fully fledged wizard, still. Just in secret. He had just had to write his own shell, copying huge chunks from Phillip's, but working out the kinks that had always irritated him about Phillip's. He also made as much money as he wanted, flew as fast as he wanted, and hopped around time... as much as he wanted.   
He knew this meant he was lying to the others, but he couldn't help it. A mind like his was a terrible thing to waste, and as a full grown man he wasn't really used to being ordered around. He also was putting up with more of their crap then he really needed to. He spent one week here, in the present ( at least to him ), and one week back in Medieval England accepting his punishment, alternating regularly.  
Unfortunately, this meant that he was pushing time forward, second by second whenever in the present. And that was a problem. Because every second he spent in the present, he was breaking another promise, turning him into even more of a liar than he already was. One would think when they'd reached such elevated standards of deception as Jimmy, a few more incidents of two-faced untrustworthy shithead behavior wouldn't matter much, but it did to him.   
Jimmy had only been able to return to his Wizarding status because of a string of people. One of these people he had made a promise to in a letter. A letter Jimmy had drafted two dozen times, struggling to find the exact words that would sing to this particular sociopath.  
Todd Douglas.  
Jimmy had made a promise to Todd Douglas.  
Jimmy had promised if Todd helped him, Jimmy would help Todd too.   
So far, he hadn't come through on his promise. Jimmy actually did use the restroom as he contemplated his uncharacteristic procrastination. The reasons were threefold:  
1) Before Jimmy's orc-induced downfall, Todd had been the cause of Jimmy's most humiliating moment of vulnerability when Todd had punched Jimmy in the nuts through proxy.  
2) Todd was a murderer, and Jimmy wasn't entirely sure that the second he granted Todd his powers back he wouldn't go and simply blow up Jimmy's head, ala Scanners. Todd the freak hadn't even wished for wealth or babes or cools cars when he'd found his powers; he'd gone straight to 'blow my boss the fuck up'. Not promising.  
But most importantly...  
3) Todd was stupid, and if he was free, the others might find out soon because Todd would DO something stupid that would let them know. Then they would question how that could be done when Jimmy promised on his own mother's honor that Jimmy had voluntarily surrendered all of his wizard powers.  
Jimmy finished and flushed. He didn't want to unleash Todd on the world. Even if he took himself out of the equation, that still left the others. Jimmy had tried killing them, and they had in return punished him, but not killed him. They could have. Easily. A big public execution, gallows or a guillotine, his head rolling down the gilded streets he'd used to own, just like a Roman Emperor deposed. But they hadn't done that. Every single second of life since the moment Phillip had slammed his face with that hot sauce and left him a helpless, crying heap on the ground had in a way been a gift too generous for words.   
But... see...  
Here's the rub.  
Jimmy was once again rich, well-groomed, powerful beyond measure, and never hungry.  
And THAT had been a gift from Todd.  
Who Jimmy had never done anything for.  
Who Jimmy had entreated to trust him, in spite of their past history.   
Who Jimmy had made a promise to.  
Jimmy may have been the first person in Todd's life he'd ever trusted, judging from the other's maladjusted antisocial attitude. Todd had said as much.  
Jimmy washed his hands, dried them, and strode into the main part of his penthouse, nibbling his lip. It was the time. He had to do it now.   
Jimmy swung into his computer chair, brought up the file, and navigated to two entries. One was a location, a properly Jimmy had bought in the 1950s. He probably would have been safe dropping Todd off in the 70s, but Phillip and him were both adults then, and the remote chance they'd bump into him was too great. Not to mention, Todd might be able to find a way to get to one of the net portals that were restricted but not unheard of in the 70s, such as at a University. No, the 1950s were most modern place to drop him off at.   
Ooh, but he was not going to be happy. Not at first. Not until Jimmy explained his reasoning.  
ANd even then, it might not make him happy. It'd never made Agent Miller happy, or Phillip.  
Todd's vitals showed that he was currently sleeping, low BPM, high brain activity, having a good dream probably.   
Jimmy licked his bottom lip, sighed. He considered waiting, but knew this was a now or lose your nerve sort of situation. He then teleported Todd, pinpointing the location to drop him from one bed into another.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Todd stretching, yawning.  
His knuckles did not scrape against cinder block. This was unusual. Every morning, his knuckles scraped against cinder block. He was not cold. This was also unusual... he felt... swaddled in a thick, downy comforter. He pushed, and felt the blanket crunched satisfying under his fingers. He sat up, staring at the duvet. This was not his blanket. He patted the bed around him, not a twin but a full size mattress, and realized this was not his bed.  
He looked up. A pleasant ceiling painted white with a drooping hooded ceiling light, currently off, looked back down at him. Sunlight streaked across it in muted shafts. Todd looked to the right, and saw a window set in the wall, curtains drawn tight.  
The rest of the bed room, small but cozy, housed a vanity with a mirror, a closet door, a dresser with empty picture frames sitting on the top, and a set of luggage in the corner, currently all zipped up.  
The room was quiet, but Todd could hear music playing through the walls. It wasn't loud and thumping like the music from his childhood apartment, it was melancholic and nostalgic, like a black and white scene in a movie, distorted.  
Todd shifted, placing his feet on the soft carpeted floor.  
A dream then.   
Weird, he didn't usually dream with sound, but his imagination had to make up for the lack of stimulation during waking hours, he supposed. He stood up, looked down. He was still in his prison jumpsuit, his soft stomach rolling beneath the fabric. He sighed, went over to the dresser, and opened it. He had other clothes there, but none of them looked comfortable. Button up shirts, jackets, slacks... he eventually found a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt and a pair of briefs. He pulled them on, the jeans styled tight like they would be for some sort of emo boy instead of baggy like he liked them, Todd thought in disgust. He got dressed in them anyways just for the novelty of wearing something else, and then closed the drawer and went to see what his mind had cooked up behind the door.  
An old man stood at the stove and flipped eggs in a skillet. Behind him, in a coffee maker, black coffee trickled down into the pot with the percolating sound Todd remembered so well. One of his parents always had the coffee pot going, working alternating shifts.  
As the smell of the coffee and the butter frying in the skillet hit him, Todd was overwhelmed. His face was all at once wet, and he covered it with a hand in surprise. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed the smell of coffee until just now.  
Seven years.  
Seven fucking years.  
Todd hoped it was early in the evening. Dreams always seemed to pass in a second when they were good ones. Let it only be 10pm, or 11pm. Please don't be 5 or 6 am. Todd didn't want to wake up until he had a chance to enjoy that coffee.  
"Good Morning Todd," The old man said, finishing cooking his fried eggs. He slid them onto a porcelain plate, where bacon already sat snugly next to hash browns and half of an orange. He gestured at a petite table laid over with a checkered cloth. "You hungry? You slept a long time."  
Todd tilted his head. The voice was familiar, like a jingle he'd heard once on the car radio years ago, but not a thing he knew well. He nodded wordlessly and settled into the chair. The old man in the apron and the suit brought over the plate and set it down in front of Todd, then returned a second later with two cups of steaming coffee.  
Creamer and sugar sat in simple white china cups in the center of the table, tea spoons jutting up from them like flag poles.   
"Thanks." Todd broke the yolk of the egg with the side of his fork. He relished the way the yellow bleed over the tines. He'd always liked the way it looked when something gushed from its shell.   
"No problem, it's actually kind of fun to cook when you're not worried about where your next meal is going to come from."   
Todd didn't understand, but it was a dream, and so he proceeded to add sugar to his coffee. Todd had discovered he liked his coffee best when it matched his skin tone in summer, a soft creamy caramel color. Lots of sugar, lots of cream. Like a child. That was okay.  
Todd sipped at the hot beverage. It scalded his tongue. He swore, lowering it and scowling at it.  
And then looked up at the old man.  
"That hurt." He barked.  
"Yes?" The old man replied.  
"No, like... THAT hurt." Todd pointed at the coffee cup. The old man nodded slowly and patiently.  
"Uh-huh? May I advise you blow on it next time?"  
"No, you... idiot! It's a dream. It's not supposed to hurt." Todd explained, slamming his hands down on the table. The old man smirked, said nothing, and waited. Todd lowered his eyebrows into a glower, dividing his enmity between the hurtful coffee and the smug old man. When this went on for a while, the old man brought his own coffee to his mouth, took a drink, then lowered the mug back to the table with a clink.  
"Oh my god, it's you, Merlin." Todd finally realized. The old man, Merlin, nodded.  
"Yeah, you got it. You can call me Jimmy, if you'd like."  
"Aaaand this..." Todd gestured around the quaint kitchen. "This isn't a dream, is it?"  
"No, not a dream. This is real, as real as anything is."  
Todd looked at the eggs. He shoveled some into his mouth, greedy at the realization that these were real freaking eggs. He swallowed with a gasp, chased it down with more coffee, sputtered, and ate some more.   
Merlin didn't push conversation, but just watched Todd enjoy his first meal as a free man.  
When Todd had left nothing but crumbs, he leaned against the back of his chair and exhaled in a sigh. Then he lifted his hands to his face, leaned forward, and began sobbing.  
Jimmy nodded, recognizing the mingled grief and relief that was etched across the other's face.  
"You're really good at making fried eggs." Todd managed between hitching sobs. Jimmy chuckled.  
"Thanks. You need a minute?"  
"No, no." Todd shook his head, and his am darted across the table, fingers digging into the sleeve of Jimmy's suit jacket. Jimmy didn't jerk away, but sat there, impassively watching the hand clutching him. "Oh god I've been alone for over two thousand five hundred and fifteen days. Please, don't go."  
"I won't." Jimmy assured him, and then folded one calloused hands over Todd's own soft one, a hand that had known nothing but books, controllers, and cash registers its entire life. It laid there, radiating it's rough warmth into Todd as he continued to cry.  
Finally, when Jimmy's coffee was nothing but droplets clinging to the side of the mug, Todd drew his inner strength together. He swallowed hard, and blinked at Jimmy.  
"I didn't think you'd actually get me." Todd croaked, hoarsely. "I was so sure you'd just leave me when you got what you wanted. I was so sure."  
"Yeah, I know, I never really gave you a reason to trust me." Jimmy nodded, blue eyes serious between the crows feet that radiated out from them. "And I regret that we had such a rocky start, Todd."  
"I'm sorry I punched you in the junk." Todd hiccuped.  
"Me too." Jimmy smirked wryly. Todd laughed once, then dragged his arm beneath his nose, smearing snot all along it. Jimmy winced, grabbed a napkin, and handed it to the other. Todd cleaned up.  
"You know, you know, I almost tore up your letter. I almost tore it up and threw it in the toilet and flushed it. When I read it, I was so mad, I almost..." Todd shook his head in horror at what could have been, "I was so angry, I was so mad at you for banishing me, I was so pissed, but... but... I didn't, because you're the only person who ever... who ever chose to talk to me, you know? Even if it was just to use me, you were the only one, I couldn't be picky, so I... I didn't."  
"And isn't it grand you made that choice?" Jimmy beamed at him, like a proud parent. Todd sniffled, returning his smile.  
"So you got your powers back, huh?" He asked.  
"Uh-huh, through a combination of my ingenuity and your help, I am a fully fledged wizard again."  
"Agents Miller and Murphy have been talking to me, too, you know? But they're really careful now, because you gave them the slip. They don't like you ever much." Todd smiled sheepishly. Jimmy threw back his head and laughed.  
"I imagine not. We are a tricky lot."  
"We?"  
"Me and you, the pariah Wizards."  
"Pariah? I like it, like the Tigers or the Wolves. The Pariahs. We sound like a sports team."   
"Sports? What are you talking ab- Oh, I see. Haha, yeah, sure. Like a team, you and me."  
Todd rubbed his stomach, stuffed and satiated by Jimmy's high fat, high calorie breakfast spread. Then he saw the windows, and got up, realizing they were real and he could open them.  
He dug his fingers in, hoisted up, and felt the window lift at his command. A pleasant summer breeze drifted in, bringing with it the smells of cut grass, barbeque, and hot pavement. Todd leaned on the window sill and inhaled dreamily.  
"Seven years of breathing in musty books and Facility fabric softener and my own smell, seven fucking years."   
Jimmy walked over and stood beside Todd, not interrupting. Todd's eyes skimmed the area around the home. He saw that he was in a cul-de-sac, two bedroom houses painted pastel colors circling the rest of the way, the neighbors across the circle were the ones barbecuing. Kids further down the street were playing street hockey, someone was being accused of cheating and shouting at another one of the kids.  
"A lot of classic cars in this neighborhood." Todd remarked. Jimmy cleared his throat, but didn't comment.   
"Can we go outside?" Todd asked, peering up at Jimmy for permission. Jimmy shrugged. He'd been outside enough for an entire lifetime, three decades of camping will do that to you, but he understood the impulse and walked over to show Todd the front door.  
Todd stepped into the sun shine, relished it on his exposed arms and face. Jimmy followed, closing the door but not locking it. Pleasant trees lined the sidewalks along either side of driveways and roads. Todd walked to the edge of his yard, feeling the grass beneath his feet. It was so soft and fresh, and he just stood scrunching his toes for several minutes.  
"Man, you know, before I went in, this stuff was just like, I never even thought of it. I hadn't stepped on grass since I was a kid, like pre grade school, but some days I just..." Todd was incoherent, and he collapsed onto the lawn with an audible whoosh. Jimmy followed him, though he slowly lowered himself to the ground by sitting cross legged. The suit might get stains, and even though it cost several thousand dollars, it's not like he couldn't just clone another one.  
"There's a lot everyone takes for granted." Jimmy remarked. Todd nodded.   
"So, where are we?" Todd asked, tilting his head back to look up at Jimmy.  
"Your new home. I bought it for you. I picked somewhere with better weather than Phoenix, though, I hope that's okay?"  
"I hated Phoenix. It was always hot and it smelled and everyone there was a jerk, like a devil's taint." Todd scrunched up his nose, Jimmy snorted. "So where am I now?"  
"Illinois, an hour or two outside of Chicago. I found you a nice mixed latino subdivision."  
"Why does that matter?" Todd propped himself up on one elbow.  
"Because..." Jimmy smoothed his thin white hair down. "... we're in the 1950s, 1955 to be exact."  
"1955? Like, in the Iron Giant?"  
"Uh, yeah. Or Grease. Or American Graffiti. You know, take your pick."  
"So that explains the classic cars. They're not classics. They're new."  
"Yeah."  
"Why?"  
"Because Agents Miller and Murphy informed me that you used the file to murder someone, and I wasn't sure what you would do if your powers were returned."  
"So you found a time before the internet?"  
"Yeah, but you still have clean water, movies, cars, electronics, stoves, washing machines, and girls in tight pants, so it's all good." Jimmy flashed an integrating smile. Just like when they had met, Todd was unmoved by the flash of teeth.  
"There still no video games."  
"Well... You haven't finished exploring your house yet." Jimmy hinted with a smug gleam in his eyes.  
"Modern games?"  
"All of the ones that matter. It was a bit tricky to get your personal arcade set up, since the power demands are so high, but for offline gaming you're set."  
"Hmm, I'll be the judge of that." Todd remarked dryly. "And what about cash?"  
"That's the best part." Jimmy watched as a dog darted from one yard to the other, chasing an errant frisbee. It's staccato barks bounced along the street. "You're a trust fund baby. You get enough cash to cover all your bills and groceries and outings every month in your account; there's a brief case I left in the office with all your necessary IDs."  
Todd frowned.  
"Aaand, if you want more money, you can always find a job." Jimmy encouraged.  
"I'd rather have my powers back."  
"And you will, someday. When we get to know each other and I know you can be trusted."  
"What about you?" Todd asked.  
"Me?"  
"You said get to know me. Does that mean... you're not going to just abandon me here?" Todd asked. Jimmy shook his head.  
"You're not banished, you're just transitioning. This of this as a halfway house, or probation. Easing you back into all power God status after being a prisoner for so many years."  
Todd nodded, sitting up and hugging his knees.   
"As... long as you don't leave me all alone here, I guess I can deal with that."  
Jimmy rubbed the other's shoulders.  
"Don't worry Todd, I plan on keeping a very close eye on you." The irony that the other's thought they were keeping a close eye on Jimmy and in reality were letting him run about totally unchecked was not lost him.


End file.
